GRATITUDE AND MUCH MOREin the Old Testament

Aniel BarbeStewardship Ministries and Trust Services

SIDCategory: Mainstreaming of Stewardship Education

OFFERINGS IN WORLD RELIGIONS

Common Motive:

Supplying the needs of the gods in order to win or preserve their favours.

Objectives of Presentation

• Explore the practice of offerings among God’s people.

• Broaden our understanding of offerings.

• Transform our Practice

PLAN

• Sacrificial Expiatory Offerings

• Sacrifices as Offerings

• Other Offerings

• Special Offerings

I. Sacrificial Expiatory Offerings

• Sin-offering (Leviticus 4)

• Guilt offering (Leviticus 5)

• Offerings (Numbers 5:9;18:8)

terumah: donate, set aside

I. Sacrificial Expiatory Offerings

The Power to Forgive- It does not lie in the offerings or in

the one making the offerings but in God alone.

- The God who forgives has allocated these functions to sacrifices. (Lev. 17:11; 4:26,31)

- Inefficiency of Animals (Ps 51:16 Heb. 10)

- Inefficiency of Human’s Ransom (Ps 49:7-9)

I.Sacrificial Expiatory Offerings

Objectives • To point to God as the One who

expiates sin.

• To acknowledge both the great « Offerer » and the great « Offering »

Isaiah 53:10 « His life a guilt offering »

II. Sacrifices as Offerings

Burnt Offerings

Peace Offerings

Burnt Offerings

Leviticus 1:3-17

- No part for the priest- No part for the « offerer »- All surrendered to the Lord

(Leviticus 1:9)

Burnt Offerings

Leviticus 1:3-17

It is called “Qorban”

Verb Qarab: come near, approach

Burnt Offerings

Leviticus 1:3-17Various types of animals:

• Young bull, v.3• Sheep and goats, v.10• Dove, v. 14

Burnt Offerings

Leviticus 1:3-17Various types of animals:

- Offerings cost something.

- Not everyone is expected to give the same amount but their best.

Burnt Offerings

Other FunctionsLeviticus 22: 17-20

- Votive : in fulfilment of a vow.

- Freewill: Voluntary offering, out of devotion, an expression of love to God.

Peace Offerings

Leviticus 3:1-17

Different from Burnt Offering

• Could be a female• Most flesh given back

Peace Offerings

Leviticus 3:12-16Three Types- Votive- Freewill- Thanksgiving (todah: Praise

after experiencing deliverance from danger)

III. Other Offerings

• The Meal Offering/minchah

• The First Fruit Offering

• Offering from the Spoils of War

The Meal Offering/Minchah

Minchah: - A gift given to a superior

someone who is recognized as a master or ruler over the person bringing the gift ( Judges 3:15; 2 Samuel 8:2,6)

- Yahweh is the covenant Lord, we are His subjects.

- The people recognize the Lordship of God.

The First FruitLev. 23:9-11;Num. 18:12,13; Deut. 18:4; 26:1-11The Functions- A thanksgiving offering- To support the priesthood

(Deut. 18: 3-5)- The very best of the harvest;

not the surplus.- God was first in the life of the

worshipper.

The First FruitThe Functions

- Recognize God as the source of all bounty.

- Acknowledge Him as the owner of the land (Deut. 26:10)

- Celebrate Him as the one who fulfilled His promises ( Deut. 26:3,8-10)

- A reminder of their deliverance from Egypt ( Deut. 26: 8-10)

War Offering

Numbers 31:29,41,52Several terms are used:

Mekes: Cultic dues or levyTerumah: a giftQorban: who is brought near

God has given the victory.

IV. Special Offerings

- Building of the Tabernacle

- Rebuilding of the Temple

- Reparation of the Temple

- Dedication of the altar and the sanctuary.

- Offerings during Pilgrimage

Building of the TabernacleTerumah

Requested from each individual. Ex. 25:2

Freewill offering Ex. 36:3 «Heart prompted » offering.

Nadab = urge, give voluntarily Ex. 25:2; 35:5

« Whose heart was lifted » Ex. 35:21

Brought from their possessions. Ex. 35:5 

Reconstruction of the Temple

Terumah

- Received gifts from neighbours to rebuild the temple. Ezra 1:6

- King advisors, officers, group of exiles make donation. Ezra 8:25

- Careful Record of this offering. Ezra 8:26-30

Reparation of the TempleMaseth

2 Chronicles 24:6,9,10- Time of King Joash- A chest outside the temple- Joyful, freewill offering

Nasa: to carry, to lift

Dedication of Altar and Sanctuary

Numbers 7

- Qorban from each tribe. V.3

- For the operations of the sanctuary service

Offering During Pilgrimage

Deuteronomy 16:16

• 3 Times a Year: Unleavened Bread, Weeks, Tabernacles

• Always come with an offering « mattanah » verb:nathan

Offering During Pilgrimage

Deuteronomy 16: 17

No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed. Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.

The Three PrinciplesPrinciple 1« No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed. »Offering has a place in collective worship Principle 2« Each of you must bring a gift in proportion (like) … »The amount will differ from one person to another.Principle 3

« The Lord your God has blessed you. »Divine giving precedes our giving. We act in response to God’s love

Beware of Not Bringing an Appropriate Offering!

Malachi 3: 8

“Will a mere mortal rob God?Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings.

OUR VISION

All in full partnership with Him, accomplishing the

final mission.

END